The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-31
A HALE POLITICAL VETERAN.
Gen. Simon Cameron on His Way to the
Bermudas in Pursuit of Recreation.
A Seventy Years Retrospect of Active Public
Iife-Ciyil Service. Foreign Affairs and
the Two Great Parties Reviewed.
New York World.


afternoon, at o'clock. 1t was headed for the
formulas On board there large and in
teressing company bound for the Land of Flow
ers many in search of health, but still more in
search of pleasure. Chief among the couspicu-
Gus ones was Gen. Simon Cameron, the veteran
printer, politician, statesman and fnancier. lie
goes to seek warmer weather for comfort rather
than for the general betterment of his health.
lie is the central figure of large passenger list
and will enjoy the merry round of shipboard
talk as well as the youngest of them He is a
striking figure of the present as well as OF the
past At the age of eighty-nine he is still ale
and hearty, with mental and physical grasp on
life that is almost phenomenal answering to the
fullest Longfellow's description of old but
healthy man:
| Brown berry was he
| Like an oak that is covered with snowfakes.
| His wealth of white hair and dark. piercing
/ eye, strongly lined face and decisive counte-
| nance, remind one of Andrew jackson. whose
friend he was in the palmiest days "Old Hick-
| oryD knew
Il am going to the Bermudas' said he, ''for
| pleasure as much as for health In twenty-five
years my faculties of nina and body have not
been In better condition than they are to-day.
| The only discomfort of any kind l have is
rheumatic trouble which strikes me occasionally
IN the back, and is the result of fall had some
four years since. thought perhaps trip to
warmer climate would free me from this. my
only ailment That is the sole reason for my
journey, except desire to the tropics and
enjoy change from my quiet life IN Pennsyl-
wanna and attention to my business affairs"
The old Generals appearance and manner
spoke for his good physical condition, and the
two hours spent with him fully demonstrated
the brightness of his intellect and the wonder
full hold he has, not only upon public matters.
but on all worldly affairs with which he deals:
You were so long in public life, General"
suggested, that suppose you now look back
upon It as sort OF Vanity Fair, Of which you
were only part
mot at ALL" replied the veteran; II am fond
of public life. / take as much interest in it's
lights and shades to-day as l ever did, although
have given up all active participation in polit-
cal affairs. Yet have not lost particle of my
interest in public concerns, and watch the drift
of political life with much interest as ever
By the way, we are in the midst of negative
era in our national progress that is hardly inter
esting
These are days when there are great ques-
| tons to call out the best energies of the men
who deal with our public affairs All nations
pass through sentimental, tragic and negative
, times Our sentimental era came with the
struggle against slavery, which brought the trag
e on in the shape of war. These tYo combined
brought ont the best powers of our leading men,
> aud they followed so closely upon each other
that each aided in the development of thought
upon our national necessities. The settlement
strong men to the front, or gave ordinary men
an opportunity to show to the best advantage.
But now there are no great questions before the
country and there is entirely too much DISPOSE
ton to talk of lack Of brains and assertive
power in our public men. 1t is the fashion of
old men especially to talk of the good old days
No day in our national history was ever brighter
or broader than the present, and If an emergency
called for display of intellectual and physica
y power we are perhaps as well prepared to- day
! for var as ever in our history"
I you have had many years experience IN pub
: lie ife How long is it,"
. "For seventy years have watched the shifting
| tides of national life. for l began early.
| wAs-z. ,,rinser on the Congressional Globe with
t Gales & Seaton in 1870, and went immediately
from their employ to edit the leading Democratic
g newspaper at Harrisburg. l had two years be
| fore that edited the Doylestown Democrat
:; This vas when James Monroe was President
;, | In looking back these intervening years
6 find that l have seen and oftentimes been 6
g part of the successes and defeats of every
9 political party that has lived in this country tc
s any purpose / remember the contest between
l. the Federa)ists and the Democrats and early
J., took my position with the Democratic party. be
:, | cause it then liberal in its views broad If
1t its craftsmanship and champoned the cause OF
y the common people. The aristocratic Fedora
b party was succeeded by the Wings, who were
IS fully conservative and almost as high in tone
3 They succeeded once or twice, only by accident
J. as that party never possessed tho elements o.
r popular favor. The Democratic party lived
longer in successful achievement than any other
for the that it stood closer to the people
IT But during the first sentimental combat with
W slavery it drifted into the championship of tina
d curse national life, and thus drlfteo ava,
n from the general sentiment until 1T was de
k stroyed in the vortex Of civil strife The Repnb
n lican party was born of the issue for huma,
y rights, which the Democratic party denied
,e rights for the whites, we'll as the blacks.
or longSas it held carefully and earnestly to tina
i'd idea it was invincible. When its leaders began
as to quarrel and show want of courage in stand
st zation disintegration began; then defeat cam
lie from lack of discipline and a disregard of tn
ID generaship necessary to the success OF any par
n ty organization. The Democratic party has th
n best political soldiers in the world. The leader
in look we'll after the rank and file, and as ger
as eral rule there is contention against the pal
ty mandate, matter what it is. This is as
n should be. No party can live without obedienc
ell to its behests and without hearty union OF 1T
. forces upon all questions Of party policy"
er Then you do not believe in the present ide
he of political independencel
in Not at ALL The only Independence there ca
r. be of any valueis by action inside the organic;
or ton and then obedience TO its DEGREES. No pa
ty caa long succeed whose members set up tnel
at individual judgments against the popular viii
I'D and no has yet been found stron
be enough, from the President down. to disregar
~ his partys behests and long succeed"
he "How about the present executlveF
at lit is not necessary to make these observe
ct tons personal. The general rule of which
ne speak is absolute. / imagine that the presei
~ executive is much stronger man than he &c
of credit for; but he. nor other man ever sa,
nd Is strong enough to neglect the forceful eleme
us of his party and win. Men who, in any polite
M affair, depend upon disconnected recruits fro
Of another party, to be disappointed in Il
IN end, for men who straggle from the ranks. eth
IN IN war or peace, have no standing IN either
ganization and are unreliable in their action,
ny consequently without power"
''Can civil service succeedF
hit Civil service, in government like this,
mt IRA tinel "a in aIv off ms
a civil pension list just life service in t
army means military pension list. The
-. again, it is not good thing in republic to gro
80 a large Hfeo fice-holding class. We need M
uh Hood UNDERSTANDABLE, IN tha control of the hnsine